PROVO, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vivint President Alex Dunn today signed a Statement of Support for the Department of Defense Office of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) at a ceremony held at the company’s headquarters in Utah, where he was joined by Tom Bullock, ESGR Chief of Employer Outreach.
The signing of this pledge signals Vivint’s support of Blackstone’s Veterans Initiative, announced in April 2013, to hire 50,000 American veterans across its portfolio of companies over the next five years.
By signing the Statement of Support, Vivint pledges to:
- Provide managers and supervisors the tools they need to effectively manage those employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.
- Appreciate the values, leadership and unique skills service members bring to the workforce and encourage opportunities to hire Guardsmen, Reservists and Veterans.
- Continually recognize and support our country’s service members and their families in peace, in crises and in war.
- Fully recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA).
“Today supportive employers are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation’s Guard and Reserve units,” said Bullock. “The ESGR Statement of Support program is the cornerstone of ESGR’s efforts to gain and maintain employer support. The intent of this program is to increase employer support by encouraging participating employers to act as advocates for employee participation in the military. Vivint is setting a high standard for all Utah employers to follow by providing above and beyond support of Utah’s veterans, many of whom currently serve in the National Guard and Reserve.”
“We are pleased to formally acknowledge our commitment to veteran recruiting, hiring and employment practices,” said Alex Dunn, president of Vivint. “These courageous men and women not only honorably serve our country, but also bring that same dedication and passion to serving our customers. Our veteran employees bring a unique combination of leadership, dedication and teamwork to our business.”
In April 2013, Blackstone committed to hiring 50,000 American veterans across its portfolio of companies over the next five years as part of “Joining Forces,” a national initiative championed by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to support American service members, veterans and their families. In December 2014, Blackstone announced that it had hired over 20,000 veterans since making the pledge, and is well on its way to surpassing its original goal.
“We are very pleased that Vivint has made this commitment in support of our U.S. National Guard and Reserve service members,” said Stephen A. Schwarzman, Blackstone’s chairman, CEO, and co-founder. “At Blackstone, and across our portfolio companies, we are dedicated to ensuring service members have the support they need to maintain meaningful careers while in service to this great nation.”
About Vivint
Vivint is a leading provider of smart home technology. Vivint delivers services through a cloud-based platform that integrates a wide range of wireless features and components to provide simple, affordable home security, energy management and home automation. Vivint's Home Automation package and Advanced Security package have received the Consumers Digest "Best Buy" rating. Dedicated to redefining the home experience with intelligent products and services, Vivint provides services for nearly 900,000 customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.vivint.com.
Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our asset management businesses, with almost $300 billion in assets under management, include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Blackstone also provides various financial advisory services, including financial and strategic advisory, restructuring and reorganization advisory and fund placement services. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.
About ESGR
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is a Department of Defense office established in 1972 to develop and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service. ESGR advocates relevant initiatives, recognizes outstanding support, increases awareness of applicable laws, and resolves conflict between service members and employers. Paramount to ESGR's mission is encouraging the employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, global perspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce.
More information about ESGR Employer Outreach is available at www.ESGR.mil.
